Where Rivers Meet, the debut album by the young London jazz ensemble Your Brother’s Keeper, has an atmospheric and open sound. They are supported on this album by the seasoned saxophonist Gary Bartz. The blend is captivating.

Your Brother’s Keeper only recently came together. The driving force behind the group is producer and drummer Jake Long. He is joined by keyboardist Ali MacSween, trumpeter Axel Kander-Lindstrom, double bassist Twm Dylan, percussionist Tim Doyle and tenor saxophonist Chelsea Carmichael. And Gary Bartz? Born in 1940, the American provides both a counterpoint and a natural complement to the young band.

Stylistically, Where Rivers Meet moves through a blend of jazz, electro, fusion and improvisation. In doing so, they allow themselves plenty of freedom. Rather than a series of obligatory finger exercises embedded in predictable harmonies, each piece is more like a narrative, thoughtfully presented in an attentive group chat.

The spectrum ranges from the cautious Cauldron through lively, buoyant tracks such as Locris and the more contemplative, searching Petrichor to the highly dynamic playing in Solar Flare. In total, the septet entertains with seven tracks spanning 41.33 minutes.

The fact that the music feels so thoroughly atmospheric also has to do with the recording itself. It positions the musicians in varying placements – sometimes in the foreground, sometimes spread across the well-organised stage. The effect is a blend of intimacy and a sense of space, which noticeably enhances the intensity of the music.

Where Rivers Meet is a fine album at the intersection of jazz and a fantastic collaboration between generations. A lovely debut. (Thomas Semmler, HighResMac)

Your Brothers Keeper & Gary Bartz